Fruit and veg in containers... Hi I'd like to grow some edible things instead of flowers this year in my containers, thinking strawberries in tubs. Would cherry tomatoes work in the hanging flower bags? If yes, how many plants would I put per bag? There are 8 holes to each bag but I'm thinking 8 plants to one bag might be too many? Also thinking peppers; would they work in containers and would they grow outside as I haven't got a greenhouse? Any other suggestions would be great! Thanks :)

7 May, 2012

Answers

Strawberrys grow well in pots if there kept well watered. I prefer to plant tomatoes and peppers in containers and not in the flower bags as to my mind they need support and you can't get that in a flower bag. Courgettes and potatoes work well in pots as do carrots parsnips radish and beetroot. happy planting

Thanks for all your advice, will look out for a tumbler variety of tomato for my bags and I've got a nice sheltered sunny spot for peppers so I think I'll give them a go. Would I put just one pepper plant to a tub? Noticed on that website you gave me, Teegee, that it says to plant peppers 24" apart, so I'm thinking one plant would be sufficient for one tub? Thanks! Sue

If you look at the slide show at the top of the page you will see an example of how I grow them by the ring culture method.

These are effectively bottomless pots, that in reality are 10" (250mm) diameter offcut drainage pipes, which I acquired during my working career. They are approx 10" (250mm) deep and sit on a bed of heavily manured soil.

You don't mention what size your tubs are but what I set up each year for my daughter, who has what I call affectionately, 'her concrete garden' (its all paved) is florist two gallon buckets with lots of holes drilled in the bottom.

These I fill with a good compost (equiv JI3) and she and the grand kids look after them after that!